Regions
Cuba

Cuba's model for health care and what it meant for the world made it a big attraction for Atlantic.

Because of Atlantic’s interest in improving health care through prevention, primary care and community outreach, Cuba represented an important investment opportunity for the foundation. Although considered one of the best in the world, Cuba’s health care system was under stress in the early 2000s from a lack of resources. Atlantic knew that by working in Cuba it would learn a great deal about effective patient-centered care—lessons that would inform its health care work globally and that could be shared with other countries.

Atlantic’s investments in Cuba have totaled over $66 million. The majority supported organizations working to better health outcomes in the country. Other grants supported U.S.-based groups either focused on improving care and treatment for Cubans or spreading knowledge about effective public health practices, especially to nations with impoverished and underserved communities. Some investments also funded work to help normalize relations between Cuba and the United States.